Cupid Scores: (Western Historical Small Town Contemporary Romance)

by Sylvia McDaniel

  His forehead drew together in a frown. "I should make my football players do that with the team they're playing each week. This way they'd know to watch out for number eighteen. They'd know he had the most blocks in the region. That's an excellent idea."

  "You're welcome," she said.

  "I was surprised the other night when you said you saw me get hurt," he said low.

  She glanced at him. "I like football. I've watched it my entire life and when you played for Dallas, I watched you every week. I also watched you play for Texas."

  Watching him get hurt, had been tough. Sure she was over him, but still to see someone you knew that you use to love, get hit so hard and not get up, your heart ached. Since she'd known him, he said he was going to play professional ball and then only to last two years. But again, maybe that was a blessing.

  "Football has always been an important part of your life," she said. "So I wasn't surprised to see you were a coach. But I am shocked you came back to Cupid."

  "It's only until I take the boys to state and then I'll be going to a college team," he said picking up her hand.

  The feel of his large hand covering hers, had her looking up into his blue eyes. A warmth trickled down her spine and she quickly put a stop to the feeling. This was an obligatory date to repay him for helping her, nothing more.

  "You'd leave behind our small town?"

  He laughed. "I like Cupid, but to coach college or professional ball, then yes, I'd move. What about you? If you become a big time scientist and can't get work at the lab where your parents work, are you going to leave Cupid?"

  The idea was something she'd considered and she wondered about going to work for one of the government agencies. "Yes, I'd leave."

  "We should leave together," he said.

  "Uh, no," she said removing her hand and gazing back out at the court. They were just about to get started in the second half. Suddenly the music started to play and she knew the kiss cam was zooming in on couples in the audience. They were three rows behind the bench.

  "Meghan, look we're on the kiss cam," he said and before she could stop him, he pulled her to him and laid a kiss on her lips. For a moment she felt stunned, but then while the music played in the background, heat began to spread through her. This was Max. The man, boy who with just a touch could make her body respond and it was once again happening.

  Finally, he released her lips. "I think they're gone," he said breathlessly.

  She touched her lips, shaking her head at him. "No...no....no....no."

  "What?" he asked with a laugh. "It was the kiss cam. We're just having fun."

  The memory of the months after he'd gone to college in Austin, while she'd attended college in Denton made her recoil. She'd been hurt, disillusioned and determined not to let him in a second time. Now here they ere seven years later and once again he made her feel things she'd long ago forgotten.

  "Watch the game. Russell Johnson is up and he has the most points of anyone in the league."

  He grinned at her. "Do you know how much I enjoy being with you? You are always surprise me."

  Just then a man sitting four seats from them leaned over. "Hey aren't you Max Vandenberg? Didn't you use to play for the Dallas Cowboys?"

  Max frowned. "Oh no." He leaned forward. "We'll talk after the game."

  "A fan?" Meghan asked.

  'Occasionally I still get recognized," he said.

  As soon as the game was over, he hurried her down on the court and away from the gathering crowd. "Let's get out of here. I want to have a quiet dinner. Someplace where we can talk."

  Even being semi-famous sometimes had its downfalls. Sure he'd enjoyed being a professional football player, but the public thought you belonged to them and when they wanted an autograph, you were to produce. Since he'd been released it was better, but still occasionally you ran into that fan who you wanted to run from.

  Plus, he feared getting caught in a situation with Meghan. If a bunch of people had mobbed him, she would never have gone out with him again.

  They reached the Corvette and he helped her inside and then went to his side. As he started up the car, he glanced over at her. Her soft auburn curls had always drawn him. He wanted to tangle his hands in her hair and kiss her senseless, but knew that had to wait.

  "Its late. How hungry are you? Do you want fancy late or would you prefer pancakes and eggs?"

  She grinned. "You sly devil. You remembered that I love breakfast late. Pancakes."

  "Trying to make the lady happy," he said.

  There was a breakfast restaurant not far from their hotel that he'd located when he made the reservations. In a matter of minutes, they were sitting across from one another sipping coffee. He glanced around the diner at the late night patrons. This is why he liked to get off the roads at a fairly decent hour. Some of these people had been bar hopping and stopped to sober up.

  "That was a fun game," she said. "I really thought they were going to lose it towards the end. And the seats were perfect. I could hear the coaches talking to the players. Oh, I learned so much about how those stats are applied to the game."

  He grinned. There was something so sexy about a woman who enjoyed sports. Even in high school they had shared the love of competition. Only Meghan competed by challenging herself in her studies, graduating as valedictorian.

  "As smart as you are, why aren't you going to medical school?" he asked curious knowing she'd considered it.

  "I quickly learned I don't do well at the sight of blood. I'm okay when it's just a little bit, but a gaping wound in the human body makes me pass out. And no, I'm not proud of the fact."

  Laughing he smiled at her. "I don't remember you being a wimp who passed out easily."

  "I'm not. But there was something about the smell, the gushing and the sight of the organs, that I lost it. Second year in biology and they're calling an ambulance because I passed out. The professor told me that maybe I should consider another major."

  "But why nuclear science," he said. "You never wanted to be like your parents."

  She nodded. "True, I didn't. But they have great government jobs. And I do find it fascinating. I may become a professor, but whatever I do, I have to get my Phd first."

  Meghan was the smartest person he knew. Certainly he wasn't stupid by any means, but she was brilliant. So much that in high school he'd wondered what she saw in him.

  "When I first met you, I was attracted to your beauty, but then I got to know you and frankly, I like your mind even more. You're smart and witty and to a seventeen year old boy, you were everything a wet dream could be made of."

  "Gross," she said laughing at him. "Here I thought you were going to give me a compliment and then you had to yuck it up."

  She was acting grossed out, but he could also see she was smiling.

  "Can't be too serious. It is after all our first date."

  "Well, you don't talk about that kind of stuff on a first date," she scolded. "No wonder you're still single."

  "Why haven't you gotten married and settled down with a half dozen kids," he asked thinking how could any man resist her.

  She shrugged. "Seems like I seem to date gene pool rejects. There were a couple of serious relationships in college, but no one that made me want to wear white lace." Her eyes narrowed at him. "What about you? Why didn't some society girl yank you up in college. After all, you were a NFL pro football player. Big money, fancy cars, loose women."

  He laughed. "I had several try, but no one I wanted to walk down the aisle with. Sure there were the football bunnies, but I didn't want to spend forever with a girl looking for a sugar daddy and her next plastic surgeon at the same time." He sighed. "I guess I've always been attracted more to the brains than the beauty."

  "You are so smooth," she said just as their pancakes arrived. "Too bad I don't believe you. But you get an a for being creative. Men don't want to marry a woman with brains. They want someone who looks like a beauty queen in public and acts like a porn star in
bed." Picking up her fork she pointed it at him. "And football jocks are the worst."

  Early the next morning, Max went down and used the hotels work out room. Last night when they'd checked into the hotel, she'd disappeared into her room, before he had the chance to kiss her good night. Once they'd gotten upstairs, he'd taken her luggage into her room, set it down and the next thing he knew he was out in the hallway, standing there alone.

  Never before had a woman rejected him before he even had a chance to make an offer. But he'd known she wouldn't sleep with him last night, but still he wasn't afraid to try.

  Since he worked out every morning, he'd come down to the gym to get his workout in before they left to return to Cupid. She had requested that they leave fairly early and he was fine with that. He had things to do before they returned to school tomorrow.

  Right now he was planning for the spring workouts and there would be tryouts soon for varsity. Sorry, but on his team, you didn't automatically get promoted. You had to earn a spot on his team.

  He looked up in time to see Meghan, in a two piece bikini that clung to her curves, her red curls in a clip, dive into the pool. That bathing suit would not be allowed out of the house, if she was his girlfriend. Those curves would be for his eyes only and yet he couldn't say anything.

  His workout ended a little early as he couldn't concentrate knowing she was swimming wet on the other side of the glass wall. He left the gym area and walked over to the pool side.

  He dove into the pool and came up beside her. Coming up out of the water he shook his head and cleared his eyes. Right next to him in the water, she was staring at him. "Good morning."

  "Good morning," she said. "Did you sleep well?"

  "Would have been better if you'd been by my side," he said.

  "Man you must never get any rest. You're such a deprived man," she teased.

  "One minute I was putting your luggage in the room and the next I was standing out in the hall, all alone."

  "Poor baby," she said and started to swim away.

  He joined her, stroke for stroke they swam the length of the pool, side by side.

  Finally she stopped breathing hard, her hand resting on the wall of the pool. "I haven't been swimming in forever. I couldn't resist."

  "Come over to the house this summer. We'll go swimming," he said.

  She threw up her arm. "Of course you have a pool."

  He grinned. "You have one at your apartment complex."

  "Yeah, I do, but it's winter and usually I avoid the concrete pond in the winter."

  He laughed and swam in right up next to her. "Where did you get the bikini. Nice."

  "Summer job," she said. "I miss the perks of that job, just not the work."

  He placed his arms on either side of her and she stared at him, her emerald eyes wide. "What are you doing?"

  "What I've wanted to do since the night of the Valentine dance. I'm going to kiss you," he said and his mouth covered hers.

  They were the only ones in the pool area, they were both soaking wet and he pulled her against him, giving her mouth a thorough tasting. He slanted his lips over hers, his tongue darting between her lips. There was still so much passion between them. So much they could explore if only she'd give them a second chance.

  But was that what he wanted? Since he'd come back to Cupid, he had been telling himself that he really only wanted to talk to her, find out how she made the decision to abort his baby. He had to understand how she could give up the life they'd created. He had to know why she would not talk to him first.

  Instead they had danced around each other and now they were in the pool and all he could think about was getting into her swimsuit.

  She pushed her hand between them, breaking the seal of their lips. At first she simply stared at him, shaking her head.

  "Don't tell me you didn't enjoy that," he said. "That's twice now we've shared an intimate kiss and both times you've responded."

  Her breathing was heavy, her eyes dilated. "Just because I respond to your kiss doesn't mean that I'm ready to jump back into the fire with you. I've been burned once, why would I want to do that again."

  "I don't understand why you think you're the injured party. Tell me how I hurt you?"

  "You don't think ..." she stopped, her body tensing, her eyes widening and he remembered that look. That was an oh shit, I'm so mad, look. "No," she said sharply her voice echoing in the pool area. "I am not talking about the past with you. It's over. It's done."

  "Don't you think it would help us both understand if we talked about what we did wrong?"

  She started walking out of the pool. "I'm going upstairs, packing my bags and calling one my girl friends to come get me. We're not doing this."

  "All right. I'll take you home. And I promise I won't bring it up again."

  "I mean it Max, I'm not discussing this with you again."

  Chapter 4

  Damn it to hell. Possibly, the last cold front of the season had rolled in, gusting the north wind to over forty miles an hour, while the temperature plummeted. One thing about Texas, the weather never stayed the same for long. Yesterday, seventy-five and today forty with ice predicted later tonight. And now, her car wouldn't start.

  The sun was just a haze in the sky with the clouds rolling in. Getting out of the car, she lifted the hood and checked the connection on her battery. Tightening the cables, she prayed that was the problem and now it was solved.

  Climbing back in the car, she turned the key and heard the distinctive sound of click, click, click. Leaning her head back, she closed her eyes and sighed. Just what she didn't need.

  A knock on the window had her jumping, her eyes turning to see who was there.

  "What's wrong?"

  It was Max. Since their date, he was almost like her shadow it seemed turning up in the teachers lounge at her every break.

  "It won't start. I'm going to have to call the car service," she said with a sigh.

  "Hang on, if it's the battery, I can get it started," he said jogging several cars over to the Corvette. He probably had jumper cables, but how could they get them to her car. There were several other cars between them.

  He came back carrying a small box with jumper cables attached.

  She got out of the car, wrapping her coat around her tightly. "What's that."

  "It's called a jump starter," he said. If it works correctly, it should be able to start your car."

  "That little thing?"

  He connected the cables and turned to her. "Start your car."

  She crawled into the vehicle and turned the key. In amazement, it started right up. She let it run for several moments before she crawled out. He was unhooking the cables.

  "Thank you," she said and impulsively gave him a hug. "This means I don't have to sit here and wait."

  "No, but you should take it in and get you a new battery. I think the cold has done yours in. I'll follow you over to Fred's garage. I bet he can change it out right away."

  A sense of relief filled her. Her car was not the best, but while attending school, she didn't have the money to purchase a newer model. "You've already helped me so much, you don't have to follow me."

  "I want to. I'll make certain you get there all right. Besides I'm headed that direction," he said.

  "Thanks, Max," she said feeling a little unnerved. Had the years since high school changed him. He hadn't been this protective or helpful before. But then again, he'd been a young football star, his interest focused on playing college ball.

  "See you tomorrow," she said and crawled back behind the wheel.

  The next day, she arrived in the library to find a gift bag at her desk. She frowned and looked inside to see her own small jump starter. Picking up the card she read,

  These are very handy and I thought maybe you could use one with your old jalopy. Max

  She smiled and quickly stashed it away in her drawer, so the teachers couldn't see what she'd received. They didn't need to know it was from Max.
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  When she went to the teachers lounge for coffee, he was in there pouring himself a cup. "Thanks for booster," she said.

  "You're welcome. You need one, driving that old car. When you going to purchase a new one?"

  "When I'm no longer on a teachers salary," she said.

  He laughed. "Yeah, it's pretty pitiful. What time did you get home last night?"

  "It wasn't too bad. It took them about thirty minutes to switch out the battery and charge it up. It was about six o'clock when I walked through the door. Last night was my advanced scientific math class and it's the one class I worry about passing."

  "Why is that?"

  "Because the math is complicated and when you mix it in with some scientific discoveries, you get lost."

  Taking a styrofoam cup out, he poured coffee in it for her. "You know I was thinking with me helping you last night, I should get another date."

  "Oh no. Every time you help me in some way am I going to have to go out with you?"

  "No, it would be simpler if you'd just agree we should date again," he said with a grin. "I don't like fighting though."

  "Good, neither do I, so we're good. We're not going out again."

  He grinned at her. "That's what you're saying now."

  Meghan glanced around the teachers lounge. If possible, she tried to eat her lunch either in her car or outside, but during the winter months that wasn't possible.

  Most of the time when she went in there during her time off period, Max was there, but today when she walked in, only about five teachers were there, but one of them was known for how quickly she spread gossip. Mr. Googly Eyes McBride was sitting there eating his ham on rye sandwich that he ate every day.

  Meghan loved nerds, but this man exuded false intelligence and dressed like the last jeans he bought were his father's bell bottoms from the seventies. A nice man, just not someone she wanted to date. And the entire year, he'd not taken the hint that she wasn't interested, not even a little.

  "Meghan, how goes the library?" he asked sitting down beside her.

  Another teacher walked in the door, laughing and talking on her cell phone.